Tsutomu Yukawa (; 1911–1942) was a Japanese

aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...

ka. Born in

Gobo Gobo may refer to: Places * Gobō, Wakayama, a city located in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan ** Gobō Station, a railway station in the city * Gobo, Cameroon, a commune in Cameroon Plants * Gobō (''Arctium lappa''), a biennial plant * Gobo (bur ...

Wakayama prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...

, Yukawa began his martial arts training in

judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...

, studying under Tesshin Hoshi. In 1931 he travelled to Tokyo to study at the

Kodokan The , or ''Kōdōkan'' (講道館), is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. The ''kōdōkan'' was founded in 1882 by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo, and is now an eight-story building in Tokyo. Etymology Literally, ''kō'' ( ...

, but whilst in the city he encountered aikido's founder,

Morihei Ueshiba was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" or , "Great Teacher/Old Teacher (old as opposed to ''waka (young) sensei'')". The son of a landowner from Tanabe, Ueshiba st ...

, and was soundly defeated. He then took up the study of aikido. While a student at the

Kobukan The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation. ...

, Yukawa was known for his physical strength, earning the nickname the "Kobukan Samson". He was strong enough to clap two sacks of rice together and bend iron nails with his hands. Yukawa was one of only a handful of students to study with Ueshiba for more than five years. A favourite student of Ueshiba, he once carried Ueshiba's son Kisshomaru to hospital on his back, and he also married the founder's niece in 1934. He died from stab wounds sustained during a fight with a soldier in Osaka.

References

Japanese aikidoka 1911 births 1942 deaths Deaths by stabbing in Japan Japanese murder victims Male murder victims People from Gobō, Wakayama People murdered in Japan {{aikido-bio-stub